Speightstown was quite a comeback story. After fracturing a shoulder—an injury that kept him away from the races for the second half of his 3-year-old season and all his 4-year-old season--the horse not only got back to the races but became better than he had ever been, earning honors as American champion sprinter in 2004. He got his stud career off to a much quicker start, getting five Grade or Group I winners in his first crop, and has since earned a consistent place among the leading sires in North America.

A small, short-coupled, well-balanced chestnut horse standing 15.3 hands, Speightstown is muscular, correct and compact with a straight, strong hind leg. He was plagued by injuries over much of his racing career.

As a stallion

Speightstown was runner-up on the American general sire list in 2013 and among the top 10 on the American general sire list in 2010-2015. He has proven a versatile stallion, getting top winners on both dirt and turf and at distances ranging from sprints to 10 furlongs. Generally speaking, his foals have needed time to mature to show their best as runners.

Foaled in Kentucky, Speightstown was bred by Aaron and Marie Jones. He was owned by Eugene and Laura Melnyk, who purchased Speightstown for US$2 million at the 1999 Keeneland July yearling sale. Speightstown was trained by Todd Pletcher. He entered stud in 2005 in Kentucky at WinStar Farm, which together with Taylor Made Farm had purchased a 50 percent interest in the horse in September 2004.

Pedigree notes

Speightstown is inbred 3x4 to the great Secretariat, 4x5x4 to Secretariat's sire Bold Ruler and 5x5x5 to Bold Ruler's sire Nasrullah; he is also inbred 5x5 to Tom Fool. He is a half brother to 2017 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (USA-II) winner Irap (by Tiznow).

Speightstown is the second-largest city of the Caribbean island nation of Barbados. Named for William Speight, a member of Barbados' first Assembly, the city is known for its colonial-era architecture.